GRAND FORKS — Carter Sanderson said his Sioux Falls Power U16 coach, Noelle Needham, gave him a suggestion this year.
She told Sanderson to watch Mark Stone play and use the Vegas Golden Knights star as an example for his own game.
“He can put up points,” Sanderson said of Stone, “but he’s a heavy, 200-foot player.”
That style of game caught UND’s attention.
The Fighting Hawks called Sanderson on the first day of permissible contact with high school sophomores (Jan. 1), then offered him a scholarship on the first day permissible for players entering their junior years of high school (Thursday).
UND assistant coach Karl Goehring met Sanderson in Watertown, S.D., on Thursday to deliver the offer in person.
“I committed about 10 minutes after that,” Sanderson said. “It’s been one of my dream schools for a while.”
Sanderson, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound forward from Pierre, S.D., became the first player to commit to UND in this recruiting cycle.
He also considered Omaha and Augustana, a second-year program located in Sioux Falls.
“First and foremost, he’s an unbelievable person,” Needham said. “His character is off the charts. He’s a leader and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s a captain there one day. His work ethic is fantastic. He does all the little things that really enhance a culture. That’s what he brings, I think.”
And he also has that Mark Stone-style game.
“He’s big, physical, hard and has the ability to make plays,” Needham said. “He uses his body really well. He’s smart. He’s a really well-rounded 200-foot player that’s accountable and willing to do anything to bring success to the team and the guys that play around him.
“He’s the epitome of a North Dakota-style player, for sure.”
UND commit Carter Sanderson looks for the puck while playing for Sioux Falls Power 16U AAA team in the 2023-24 season.
Submitted photo
Sanderson made a huge leap as a sophomore, tallying 36 goals and 73 points in 65 games for Sioux Falls Power. He surged onto recruiting radars and was selected in the fourth round of the United States Hockey League Phase II Draft by Muskegon.
“There was a tremendous encouragement for him to use his skillset to work his way out of problems versus just getting rid of the puck,” Needham said. “That was the biggest difference. He started to hang onto it and make plays. He started to use his feet more versus a dump-and-chase style. That allowed him to develop and get some confidence.”
Sanderson said: “I had a great year. Noelle really developed me into a better player, a better skater and an all-around person. She really helped develop my smarts on the ice. I’ve got to show some love to her. I really appreciated that. Being around great teammates from all around the country really helped me, too.”
This fall, Sanderson will play for Muskegon, where he’ll be teammates with fellow UND commit David Klee.
A fourth South Dakotan at UND
Sanderson will be the fourth South Dakotan to play at UND. Buzz and Prince Johnson of Webster, S.D., played for the Fighting Sioux from 1947-50. Brady Ferner, an RPI transfer from Dakota Dunes, S.D., played for the Fighting Hawks for one season in 2021-22.
Sanderson learned about UND hockey as a child.
“I was in about fourth grade,” he said. “I was watching TV on my couch. I put Midco on. I loved watching hockey. I thought it was a sweet rink. I fell in love with the rink and the organization ever since.”
Sanderson played a game in Ralph Engelstad Arena while he was with Northstar Christian Academy, a school based in Alexandria, Minn.
“It’s a great rink,” he said. “It was kind of hard to play in a huge, empty stadium with no fans, but I’m sure when I get up there in a couple years and it’s packed with 12,000 people, it’s going to be a great experience.”
UND commit Carter Sanderson chases the puck while playing for Sioux Falls Power 16U AAA team in the 2023-24 season.
Submitted photo
Hometown: Pierre, S.D.
Size: 6-1, 190.
Position: Forward.
2024-25 team: Muskegon (USHL).
NCAA commitment: UND.
By
Brad Elliott Schlossman
Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald’s circulation division four times and the North Dakota sportswriter of the year once. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at [email protected].
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Publish date : 2024-08-02 10:27:00
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